Kingston modifies snow emergency regulations (update)

KINGSTON, N.Y. -- The Common Council has decided to allow for the declaring of snow emergencies before snow actually falls, but refused to enact alternate side of the street regulations during storms.

Lawmakers voted 9-0 Tuesday night to allow Department of Public Works Michael Schupp to declare snow emergencies once the National Weather Service has issued snow alerts. The new regulation still needs to be signed by Mayor Shayne Gallo, who supports the move.

Before the change, the law allowed Schupp to declare a snow emergency only when 3 inches of snow h had fallen.

If a vehicle is not moved in a two-hour period after the snow emergency is declared, the owner could be liable for a $100 fine, a rule that is unchanged.

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But the council rejected the idea of instituting an alternate side of the street parking plan, favored by Schupp and Mayor Shayne Gallo.

Council members including Alderman Robert Senor, D-Ward 8, and Common Council President James Noble, have said that a more specific plan needs to be reviewed, with perhaps a trial taking place in a particular neighborhood.

Senor has already rejected the idea outright saying it would "cause a nightmare" in city neighborhoods.

The proposed regulation would have required vehicles to be moved to the odd-numbered side of the street once a snow emergency was declared.

After a 24-hour period, vehicles would have had to have been moved to the even-numbered side of the street, according to Schupp. If the street was not cleared in that 48-hour period, the odd-even process would have started again, Schupp said.

Schupp has said the alternate side of the street rule would make it easier for residents because they would not have to move vehicles to municipal parking lots or other people's driveways.

Schupp has said that with recent cutbacks in manpower, it is nearly impossible for his department to clear municipal lots adequately enough for parking.